Preface

This is the second edition of CSA N1600, General requirements for nuclear emergency management programs. It supersedes the previous edition published in 2014.

This Standard provides requirements for a comprehensive nuclear emergency management program (NEMP) embracing the emergency management (EM) components (prevention/mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery) in keeping with international EM practice, with a predominant focus on preparedness, response, and recovery. It establishes the elements of a continual improvement process to develop, implement, maintain, and evaluate the EM functions of nuclear facilities and their surrounding communities.

Users of this Standard are reminded that the site selection, design, manufacture, construction, installation, commissioning, operation, and decommissioning of nuclear facilities in Canada are subject to the Nuclear Safety and Control Act and its Regulations. The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) might impose additional requirements to those specified in this Standard.

The CSA N-Series Standards provide an interlinked set of requirements for the management of nuclear facilities and activities. The CSA N286 Standard provides overall direction to management to develop and implement sound management practices and controls, while the other CSA nuclear Standards provide technical requirements and guidance that support the management system. This Standard works in harmony with CSA N286 and does not duplicate the generic requirements of CSA N286; however, it might provide more specific direction for those requirements.

Scope

1.1
This Standard establishes criteria for the emergency management programs of on- and off-site organizations to address nuclear emergencies at Canadian reactor facilities.

Notes:

1) This Standard may provide guidance for nuclear facilities other than reactor facilities. The operators of these facilities may, together with the AHJs, determine the applicability and suitability of the guidance provided by this Standard.

2) The requirements in this Standard are applied in accordance with the jurisdictional responsibilities of the organization.

1.2
This Standard provides the requirements to develop, implement, evaluate, maintain, and continually improve a nuclear emergency management program (NEMP) for prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery from a nuclear emergency at a reactor facility irrespective of the initiator.

Note: The requirements and guidance in this Standard could inform the development of plans for specific initiating events (e.g., fire, flood, security, etc.).

1.3
This Standard does not apply to nuclear emergencies at

a) Class IB nuclear facilities;

b) Class II nuclear facilities; and

c) uranium mines and mills.

1.4
This Standard does not establish requirements for business continuity planning.

1.5
In this Standard, "shall" is used to express a requirement, i.e., a provision that the user is obliged to satisfy in order to comply with the standard; "should" is used to express a recommendation or that which is advised but not required; and "may" is used to express an option or that which is permissible within the limits of the standard.

Notes accompanying clauses do not include requirements or alternative requirements; the purpose of a note accompanying a clause is to separate from the text explanatory or informative material.

Notes to tables and figures are considered part of the table or figure and may be written as requirements.

Annexes are designated normative (mandatory) or informative (non-mandatory) to define their application.

1.6
In this Standard, "shall be considered" or "shall consider" means that the user evaluates the impact and documents any decisions.